By Gina Blitstein

With all the things technology allows us to do virtually - conduct meetings, read and send documents, transfer funds - there’s one seemingly simple thing that we’ve continued to do the “old fashioned” way: sign documents. Until recently, a signature on a document still needed to be signed with a pen, then either hand-delivered or faxed, or scanned and emailed to its recipient.

With so many companies conducting business in locations all over the world, it’s not difficult to see the benefits of being able to sign a contract or official document and deliver it instantaneously, rather than in days or even minutes.

Technology has now provided the solution, making it possible to “sign on the dotted line” by electronic means. A signature, unlike other text in documents, is something unique to the signer and is considered to be the individual’s official stroke that “seals the deal.” Clearly, due to the important significance of a signature, these means must be completely secure.

There are basically two ways in which a signature can be transmitted electronically. One way is primarily for the sake of convenience and the other, while also convenient, offers an abundance of security.

The first and most straightforward solution to virtually share a signature is to scan an image of your signature into an online-completable form. Simply take a photograph of your signature which you’ve written on paper and upload it to your computer. Once your signature is in digital format, you can insert it as you would any image into your document on the signature line. Newer computers have shortcuts to make “acquiring your signature” even more convenient.

The second method is to utilize a service that will provide the utmost security for the document and your signature on it, almost like using a “digital notary.” A service like RightSignature.com provides the tools you need to send documents for signature, receive those signatures on those documents, then store them in a secure and tamper-proof manner.

Using RightSignature.com, the originator of the document chooses the document from her computer, creates a distribution list and can highlight the specific fields that require signatures. Utilizing the online signature pad with their mouse or their finger on their mobile device, recipients “sign” the document. There’s also a “type to sign” feature, should the recipient prefer, in which the signer chooses a script font with which to type her signature. They also do provide a more traditional option to print out and fax the document, instead of signing virtually.

Adding to the security provided your documents by a company such as RightSignature.com, once the document is executed, it is locked with a secure algorithm which renders it tamper-proof. As an additional convenience, your documents can be easily searched by a variety of keywords, such as, signer name, email address, subject, file name, form field text, or tag.

Consider these factors when choosing a service to safeguard your documents and the signatures on them:

Secure SSL Data Encryption - This is technology that encrypts your data during online transactions so it remains confidential. No matter what service you use for signature transmission, be certain the site displays the green padlock icon in the address bar, indicating that the site transfers data securely.

Infrastructure of the company’s data storage services - This ensures that your documents will be be accessible and safe from loss while stored in cyberspace.

Security measures - What means are available to protect the documents themselves from being modified or losing their integrity for any reason?

Authentication - What measures are taken to identify the validity of a signature? RightSignature uses an algorithm which identifies certain characteristics of a signature to help in the verification process. Other authentication measures could include:

• Use of a webcam to capture the signing “live”
• Collection of background information on the signers
• Keeping an activity log for each document

You may wonder if an electronic signature is valid in all circumstances. To quote directly from RightSignature.com’s website, “Documents executed on RightSignature have the same legal validity and enforceability of pen-and-paper contracts.”

Even in these digital times, there’s no more binding form of acceptance than a signature. It’s incredibly convenient that we can collect signatures and keep business going in real time. It’s even more important, however, that those signatures remain authenticated and the integrity of the documents on which they appear remains secure.

How does your business handle virtual signatures?

Little else is as important to the economic health of a small business than its financial record-keeping. Each year when tax time comes around, small businesses are confronted with a record-keeping report card, so to speak. We quickly learn what we did well and where we need improvement moving forward. No matter how diligently we track every expense and record every account payable, there always seems to be another piece of data we should have collected and recorded.

Even if you’re just starting out in business, it’s a prudent idea to hire an accountant to do your business’ taxes. While there are many services and products that promise to make the task easy and the results correct, there’s no substitute for professional advice and expertise. There is a lot you can do yourself, however, to make your tax time go more smoothly and hopefully cost you less by keeping your accountant’s billable hours to a minimum.

Some of those things you can do to ease your tax-preparation experience are:

Learn from previous experience - Once the “ordeal” of tax preparation is over, it’s human nature to want to put it behind us and go back to “business as usual.” Don’t do that! When you meet with your accountant, he or she will most likely make suggestions as to additional information that you didn’t have available or better ways to track the things you did. Take notes and follow through immediately on those suggestions while your accountant’s suggestions are fresh in your mind. Make any changes right away so that they become habit. The more you do throughout the year toward keeping the best records possible, the better-prepared you’ll be come next April 15.

Reevaluate your process - Keep an open mind as to how you keep your financial records. Solid habits are important but periodically, do a reality check with your bookkeeper and accountant to make sure your process is effective and efficient to avoid getting stuck in an unproductive rut. Discuss with everyone involved how processes can become more accurate and streamlined.

Keep your tools current - Like all software and services, accounting products are frequently updated and improved upon. Don’t become so entrenched in one system that you fall behind technologically. The best accounting services and products make information easy to collect, comprehend, report upon and share with your accountant. It’s important that you find one that provides what your business needs in terms of record-keeping and ease of use.

One particularly effective accounting service is outright.com. Outright connects with your financial accounts and updates your transactions according to your categories, automatically, on a daily basis. In addition to being able to check your financial situation (profit, loss, influx and outflow of your cash) you can check at any time of the year where you stand on quarterly tax payments or sales tax owed. It also easily interfaces seamlessly with tax preparation software your accountant uses. Outright is an outstanding example of a full-service accounting service with which you can interact each and every day.

Listen to your accountant - You trust your account, so be sure to heed his or her advice. Keep the lines of communication open so that he or she will feel comfortable making suggestions to improve your record-keeping practices for the benefit of your overall financial situation. Then, implement those suggestions to demonstrate your respect for their input.

Accountants, accounting software and bookkeepers are a cost of doing business. A good accountant is worth every penny for the knowledge and experience they provide and the peace-of-mind and financial fortitude they impart. Do all you can to facilitate their responsibilities by doing you part. Remember, any improvements you can make to your record-keeping process is an investment in your business as a whole.

In which areas could your record-keeping stand improvement?

By Gina Blitstein

Finding the right mentor/mentee match is key to having a successful mentoring experience. While mentoring is usually examined from the viewpoint of the recipient and what she is gleaning from the process, it’s interesting to hear about mentoring from the perspective of a mentor, who is an equally crucial factor in the mentoring equation.

Thursday Bram is a writer, consultant to creative entrepreneurs and founder of HyperModern Consulting who has benefited from both sides of the mentoring relationship. In the continuation of an interview with her, Thursday discusses the way she sees herself in the role of mentor.

How do you see your responsibilities as a mentor?

I'm a resource. In many ways, that's it. I'm not going to push anyone to actually take action on their business or anything else like that and I'm definitely not going to do the work for anyone — I'm not anyone's mom or anything like that. I'm happy to talk through specific situation, make introductions and lend books. Beyond that, what I consider my specific responsibilities tend to depend on what someone needs. Some people just need to be told over and over that something's going to work. Other people need nuts-and-bolts guidance. It just depends.

What are your particular strengths as a mentor?

My background as a writer is a key strength. Because of the number of interviews I've done over the years, I have a bulging Rolodex — I can almost always make a valuable introduction. I also can point to the many books I've read and reviewed or talk about other resources with relative ease. I've got a great memory for all sorts of unusual information.

What do you think was the most insightful mentoring you ever gave?

After a conversation with me, a mentee threw out almost a year's worth of work. That was a good thing — the discussion made it really clear what she needed for her planned business to be a success and the circumstances that she needed just weren't going to happen. Sometimes, you have to be aware that the best solution is failure, if only so that you can move on to something that will work better.

How many have you mentored?

I've had about a dozen long-term mentorship-style relationships. But I've also had hundreds of individual conversations that served similar purposes.

On what topics have you mentored?

I almost always focus my mentorships on entrepreneurship (including freelancing). I'm passionate about the topic and I want every new business owner to succeed, so it's the best fit.

How has being a mentor impacted your life and career?

I've made business decisions (like creating a website specifically geared towards freelancers) on the basis of discussions that I've had with mentees.

What would be your advice to someone who wanted to become a mentor?

Make sure you see a benefit in becoming a mentor. It can be a huge time commitment and you need to feel like it's a good thing for you to do in the long-term. That benefit certainly doesn't have to be tangible — it can be something as simple as feeling that you're paying forward the help you received in the past. But you can't just set out with a vague idea that mentorship is going to make you feel good.

Thursday’s perspective on being a mentor, in general is:

• Good mentors have often been mentored by good mentors themselves, so they closely relate to the mentee, her challenges and perspective.
• Mentoring should be an organic and natural relationship - not forced.
• Find a mentor who is able and willing to give you what you need in the way that you want it.
• Your mentor should be a resource for you, to help connect you with information and people who will serve you in your career development.
• Mentors can help you see what works - and what doesn’t for you.
• Finding a mentor who has experience - at least in a broad sense - in what you seek to accomplish makes sense for you both.
• Sometimes the mentee inspires the mentor.
• The most effective mentors go into it with a desire to make a difference in the life of the mentee, not for personal reward or self-aggrandizement.

Mentoring isn’t always a formal relationship - in fact, that’s probably a good thing in many cases. Since you’re primarily receiving an willing ear, some wise comments and some helpful resources, you’re free to make your own decisions based upon interactions with your mentor. In that sense, mentors facilitate the process of creating you a better professional you, by virtue of their experience. That empowerment can’t be obtained through any other type of professional relationship

How has your mentor made you a better professional you?

By Gina Blitstein

Mentoring is generally a casual relationship which grows out of a need and/or desire for contextual support in one’s career. The most important determining factor in the success of a mentorship is finding an appropriate mentor for your needs and expectations. The best mentors have relevant experience in your particular circumstances and fit with the way you absorb information. Often, a mentor becomes a mentor because she knows from personal experience the value of that one-on-one interaction to empower and inspire. Such is the case, you’ll discover, in this interview with a dedicated mentor.

Thursday Bram is a writer, consultant to creative entrepreneurs and founder of HyperModern Consulting who has benefited from both sides of the mentoring relationship. Here are Thursday’s responses to some questions about her mentoring experiences. In this, Part I of an interview, she discusses becoming a mentor, her inclination to mentor, her personal mentoring style and how she knows her mentoring makes an impact.

What does a person need in order to qualify as a mentor?

To be a good mentor, you need to be a little further along in whatever process you're trying to help your mentee with. You need to be able to discuss both the problems and the solutions you've found in your own experiences clearly. You don't need to pass a class or get training or have official credentials.

Have you ever been the recipient of mentoring?

I had the good fortune to have one of my professors take me under her wing when I was an undergraduate. She was actually an adjunct, so she showed me opportunities to use what she was teaching me in the real world, helped me apply for internships in the field (and at the company she worked for!) and even helped me navigate office politics once I landed that internship. While I don't use everything that she taught me every day, this particular mentor helped me make a lot of big decisions about what I was going to do right after college.

How did your experiences as a mentor begin?

I'm not always aware that I'm mentoring someone. I tend to jump in when I hear people struggling with something I know how to do. That's essentially what happened the first few times I mentored anyone. From there, things generally snowballed. I blog regularly about business topics, so people tend to ask me questions. Many small questions grow into much bigger relationships, and through these relationships, I've had the opportunity to help new freelancers and entrepreneurs.

Is mentoring a natural inclination with you or is it a skill you’ve honed - or both?

It's a little of both. I'm naturally inclined to be incredibly bossy. That means that I have no compunctions about jumping into someone else's business and informing them that they're doing it all wrong. I've had to hone my skills at offering up information in useful ways and letting mentees figure out how to apply what I can offer them on their own. That's crucial to a good mentorship — a mentor is a resource, not someone who tells you exactly how to do something.

How would you describe your mentoring style?

My mentoring style might be best described as overly-energetic. When someone comes to me with a question or a request for advice, I take it and run with it. I almost always opt for an in-person discussion with a mentee, when possible, and I'll talk a mile a minute for hours unless someone stops me. I've got a good memory for case studies, book summaries and all the rest, so I just start offering pointers.

How do you know that your mentoring efforts are effective?

Success is incredibly subjective. The different people that I've mentored over the years have very different levels of success. Despite that, I know my efforts are effective because several of those individuals have come back to me and told me that something I said made a big difference for them. That alone is enough to make me feel that I'm doing something right.

The first step to a beneficial mentoring experience is finding a person who recognizes the importance of the mentoring process itself. As Thursday explains, that process requires discussion and evaluation of relevant situations, problems and solutions rather than blatant advice. Of course, it helps when your mentor has her own opinions and shares her experiences freely and enthusiastically! The most effective mentoring relationships inspire the recipient to make her own decisions and come to her own conclusions based upon the experiences shared by her mentor.

What qualities do you look for in a mentor?

By Gina Blitstein

You’ve got a new position taking over for a previous employee - congratulations! Of course, you want to do a great job for the sake of your company and yourself. The important thing to realize in this situation is that you’re taking on more than a job. You’re taking on all the history - good and bad - of your predecessor.

Whether you have the power and inclination to start fresh or your goal is to maintain the status quo, you have the “Ghost of Your Predecessor” to deal with. Were they good at their job? A top producer? A favorite among the employees? Prone to sloppy performance? Difficult to work with? Not a team player? The factor that makes the biggest difference is the circumstances under which the employee left the position. Let’s look at two scenarios and your possible course of action:

Scenario 1 - Everyone Loved Jessica!

What a shame she moved to Seattle... Jessica was a peach! Friendly, helpful, considerate, hard-working and smart! She was apparently a joy to work with and the company has no expectation that changes need to be made.

What you may discover: It’s nice to move into a position where co-workers are predisposed to like you. While it’s true, you’re no Jessica, folks will usually give you the benefit of the doubt, based upon their satisfaction with the performance of the position.

How to make your mark: To reiterate, you’re not Jessica. Although things went well while she was at the helm, it’s only right that you put your stamp on the position once its yours. Chances are, you work, communicate and produce differently than Jessica. It’s perfectly all right to interject your vision and work style into the position - just do it gradually.

Making too many changes too soon may prove off-putting to your co-workers and lead to a lack of their support. The best course of action to take when replacing a beloved co-worker is to ease into any changes you’d like to make. Take the time to discover the most critical areas where your changes can make the biggest impact. When they see that things are continuing to flourish, you co-workers will realize that although you work differently than Jessica, you are equally capable and they will come to respect you for the attributes you bring to the position.

Scenario 2 - Jessica wasn’t working out...

Unfortunately, it looks like Jessica wasn’t the right person for the position and was let go. Perhaps there were personality clashes or lapses in communication. Whatever the reason, you’re stepping into a position that’s a potential hornet’s nest.

What you may discover: Your co-workers may lack faith in the person in your position, and possibly, therefore, in you personally. They may be predisposed to thinking that, because Jessica couldn’t succeed, that you won’t either. It’s important to wipe the slate clean as you step into her position or you’ll be wrestling with preconceived notions that may have nothing to do with you or your performance at all.

How to make your mark: Your first step should be to try to discover specifically what was amiss under Jessica’s tenure. Talk candidly with everyone with whom Jessica interacted to learn what challenges she faced. Use that information to inform your first changes. Work quickly to make those first important - and hopefully impactful - changes so that your co-workers will see that there’s “a new sheriff in town” and that things are going to turn around. Once co-workers see that your changes are effectual, it will be easier to gain their support moving forward.

When things are on a more even keel, begin to craft your own vision for the position and implement changes more gradually. Include such things as your work, leadership and communication style into that vision. Communication of that vision to the rest of the company is critical. Spell out not only what you want to do but what you expect from your co-workers.

Regardless of the reason, it’s challenging to step into the shoes of your predecessor. Whether she was beloved, despised or simply ineffectual, you represent a change for everyone. Move slowly and show that you are willing to make changes for the good of the company, the position and yourself. You’ll gain the support or your co-workers so you can move forward as a successful, unified team.

How have you dealt with the Ghost of Your Predecessor?

By Gina Blitstein

The American Government has countless agencies which help run the government itself and the nation as a whole. Each of these agencies plays a crucial role in keeping the wheels of our country rolling along. One thing each of these agencies has in common is that it needs to contract with the public for the services and items necessary for it to carry out its appointed mission. One such agency is General Services Administration (GSA).

According to Wikipedia, the U.S. General Services Administration “is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. government offices, provides transportation and office space to federal employees, and develops government-wide cost-minimizing policies, and other management tasks.” On its own website, GSA is defined as an agency,”providing centralized procurement for the federal government, offering products, services and facilities that federal agencies need to serve the public. GSA offers businesses the opportunity to sell billions of dollars worth of products and services to federal agencies.”

Your business may be able to contract with the government by working with the GSA. As with any government contracting opportunity, there is a very specific procedure you must go through in order to be considered as a contract recipient. Here’s what you should know about applying to receive government contracts through the General Services Administration:

Beginning the Contracting Process

It is suggested that your business conduct some due diligence in preparation for contracting with the GSA, such as:

• Carefully consider whether your business is a good fit for the job, can provide competitive pricing and has the time and resources necessary to fulfill the contract.
• Prepare a business plan which includes your marketing plan, expected personnel allocation and expected return on investment.
• Do your homework by conducting market research about your company’s offerings in relation to the government: Which agencies utilize them, the rates paid and the forecasted trends in your field.

Align Yourself for Consideration

In order to be considered for a GSA contract, specific certifications are required. Get them before you apply so you’ll be poised to go once you begin the application process.

• DUNS - (Data Universal Numbering System) provides a unique 9-digit identifier for your business.
• CCR - (Central Contractor Registration) collects and disseminates data on behalf of agencies.
• ORCA - (Online Representations and Certifications Application) is a certification process for all who solicit federal contracts.
• Past Performance Evaluation - is a service which surveys your past customers to assess your company’s performance.

Refer to the Schedule Solicitations

Once your business is primed for the challenge, take a look at the GSA Schedule Solicitations, which is a downloadable listing and summary of the products/services for which contracting opportunities are currently available.

Should your business find something on the GSA Schedule Solicitations that suits its capabilities, you must submit an official offer. This process is referred to as responding to a solicitation. Their website offers all the information you need in order to reference the appropriate listing and explains how to apply electronically, which is the preferred method.

Be particularly diligent about submitting every required report and bit of documentation so as to give your submission the greatest chance of acceptance. Once you respond to a solicitation, the review process could take 30-120 days. According to the GSA website, it will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Responsibility - Your business is in good financial condition and have a positive record of past performance.
• Responsiveness - You followed all submission instructions completely and to the letter.
• Scope - Your business appears to match the requirements of the job.
• Subcontracting plan (if applicable) - You submitted a plan to subcontract a percentage of the work if anticipated sales exceed $650,000.
• Pricing Analysis and Review of Terms - Your prices are fair and reasonable and are supported by a sound pricing structure.

The General Services Administration is yet another government agency with which your business can do business. Take some time to find out if your company is a good fit for contracting with this agency. If it is, be thorough in your preparation and application process. Working with the GSA can be a beneficial business opportunity, well worth the effort to seek out.

Can your business provide a product or service to the GSA?

By Gina Blitstein

Local advertising has taken some serious blows recently. With the waning popularity of newspapers, telephone books and even local radio due to widespread adoption of newer technologies, there’s a lack of effective places to carry out a marketing strategy. Where’s a local business to advertise?

While it is technology that has made traditional local marketing nearly obsolete, it is also technology that has created new and far more influential means of advertising on a local level. Rather than from an advertisement in a newspaper or the Yellow Pages or a snappy jingle on the radio, an increasing number of local buying decisions are made from the palm of the customer’s hand.

Enter mobile devices, like cell phones, iPads...even computers, which are equipped with Global Positioning Service, or GPS. That’s the technology your car uses to give you driving directions. Basically, GPS allows electronics to determine where you are in relation to other locations.

Technologies that utilize GPS and pair it with information about particular places are called, location-based services. Services like Foursquare and Gowalla use GPS to identify their user’s current location and enable them to broadcast their current location to others, (check-in) whether it be a at store, movie theater, restaurant or hair salon.

That functionality can likewise be used by the local merchants themselves to establish a presence and interact on a local level with customers. Location-based services are providing a meeting ground for merchants and their clientele. It’s a great opportunity to use the Internet to get your business discovered as a local entity.

Location-based services are a leading means by which customers find businesses on their mobile devices, while they’re already out and about. Your business will appear in searches for local businesses of your type on these devices, but its position in the search results will be based upon its popularity with the service’s users. Businesses that have accumulated the greatest number of “check-ins” are ranked highest in search results for that type of business. Customers can also read reviews and view photos submitted by previous patrons, providing first-hand feedback to encourage others to try your business too. In essence, your satisfied customers will do the advertising for you.

To get started putting location-based services to work for your local advertising, investigate a few of the more popular services to determine the one you’d like to focus on using. As the business owner, there will be a means by which you “claim” your business as your own, thus giving you control over your company’s profile that appears to the service’s users. At that point, you can add more details about your business and verify existing information.

Effective use of location-based services to market your local business

Once you have claimed your company’s profile, you’ll be able to:

• Identify your clientele. You will have access to a dashboard which provides statistics on your business’ location-based service-using clientele, such as: How many folks have checked in? When do they check in? Are they male or female? Who are your most frequent customers? What time of day do the most check-ins occur?

• Advertise in a more targeted manner. Armed with those demographics, you’ll have insight into the habits and preferences of a large and growing part of your clientele. You can utilize that insight to offer incentives to grow your customer base. You’ll be able to offer specials to your location-based service-using customers to entice new customers or offer bonuses to customers who check in most frequently.

Location-based services are yet another implement for your social media advertising toolkit. Thanks to their mobile devices, more and more people shop on the fly everyday - so take the opportunity to welcome them by offering incentives. It’s a targeted, inexpensive and simple way to make the connections with customers that spell good business - especially on a local level.

Do you actively participate in location-based service advertising?

By Gina Blitstein

Each year as the holidays approach, employers consider the topic of holiday bonuses and/or gifts for their employees. Even though the economy is still suffering, ‘tis the season to spread cheer among your employees via a token of your appreciation, known as the holiday bonus.

A true holiday bonus - as opposed to a bonus based upon performance - is a gift from the employer, in recognition of his or her employees valuable efforts. It seems so simple and straightforward - but that’s exactly where the issue can get complicated. There’s a lot of emotional capital tied up in holiday bonuses. While employees generally appreciate the acknowledgement and good wishes a holiday bonus conveys, the form of that bonus and its value - real or perceived - is worth careful consideration by the employer. How can the appropriate level of appreciation be demonstrated in a monetary value or gift?

Take these things into account when giving holiday bonuses and gifts to your employees:

• A gift or bonus should match the level of your relationship with your employees - When your business is small, you’re more likely to be on personal terms with your employees.The more personal the relationship, the more personalized the gift should be. To give your bonus a more personal touch, whether you give a physical gift or money, deliver it personally to each employee and include a thoughtful note expressing your appreciation. That sense of “family” you share with your employees may urge you to be extra generous with holiday bonuses and/or gifts.

• The gift should convey your appreciation - Without a doubt, a generous cash bonus would be greatly appreciated by your employees, whereas a small monetary bonus could be downright insulting. If your bonus budget is tight but you still want to convey your appreciation at the holidays, a modest amount spent on a well-considered gift with a thoughtfully written personal note will serve to sincerely communicate your sentiments - without making you look unappreciative or cheap.

• Revenue may fluctuate from year to year - bonuses should not - Employees (rightfully so) expect at least the same bonus you gave in previous years, so don’t set a precedent by being overly generous in a particularly profitable year that you may not be able to live up to next year. It’s better to keep performance bonuses separate from holiday bonuses so that the true message of appreciation remains consistent.

• Holiday bonuses come in many shapes and sizes - As with all gifts, the best ones are those that are given with the recipient in mind. Holiday bonus time is a good time to consider what would truly make your employees feel appreciated. While you can (almost) never go wrong with cash, if your budget is tight or if you just want to give creatively, think outside the box. Some ideas could include gift certificates for luxury items or activities they may not indulge in themselves, a lovely gift basket full of specialty foods, tickets to a special event or anything that will bring them joy. If you can’t decide, ask your employees to vote on a few choices so you can gauge their tastes. It will also demonstrate that you value their input and want to please them at bonus time.

Your employees - you couldn’t run your business without them - so show them just how much you appreciate their contributions with a thoughtful holiday bonus. It’s an investment that will return to you in employee satisfaction and loyalty.

What holiday bonuses do you give your employees?

It’s that time of year - the holidays are upon us. It’s a wonderful season when our minds follow our hearts and priorities shift from professional to personal; from the office to home. That longing to experience all that the holidays represent, however, doesn’t mean that their arrival doesn’t present challenges to both our personal and professional lives.

Although we look forward to the holidays all year long, they never fail to bring along with them some unique stressors. Those holiday stressors come in various forms, all which take their toll on us, mentally and physically. Emotions run high during the holidays, so interpersonal interactions may be challenging. It’s difficult to carve out time for the social functions and parties, extra shopping, family activities and travel which are part and parcel of the holiday season - especially when they are added to our normal busy schedules. Yes, there are expectations and deadlines to meet associated with the holidays that go well beyond the norm.

Then there is the impact of the holidays on each specific business. Some businesses are slow over the holidays, adding financial strain to the normal holiday stress. Others are busier than usual, restricting the time those folks have to celebrate.

Whether it affects our personal or professional lives, there doesn’t seem to be any escaping at least some holiday anxiety. How can you enjoy the holidays and keep your business rolling along smoothly? It is possible to minimize holiday stress while maximizing enjoyment - with some forethought and planning, that is. Here are some tips for smoothly blending your business obligations and holiday celebrations:

• Take a deep breath - The first thing to do is evaluate the effect the holidays will have upon your business and the effect your business will have upon your holiday celebrations. Will you be more or less busy than normal? There’s no preferred answer - it’s just a fact you have to take into account as you plan.

• Keep it in perspective - Much of the stress you perceive around the holidays stems from the way you think about the situation. Plan to make the best of things, no matter what the circumstances and you’ll set yourself up for a calmer holiday.

If your business is slow over the holidays, there’s no reason to think it won’t rebound once things get “back to normal” in January. Plan to take advantage of your freer schedule to engage in “non-work” activities, spend time with friends or family or simply relax. Use the holidays as an opportunity to recharge your batteries.

On the other hand, if business is bustling during the holidays, focus on the opportunity to generate greater cash flow and not on celebrations you may be missing out on. While it may put a crimp on the festivities, make plans to allocate some of your holiday earnings to treat yourself to a “post holiday” holiday.

• Plan ahead on every front - Attack holiday stress by preparing for the inevitable.
  • Keep an eye on the calendar - Pay extra attention to your calendar and that of your significant others. Plans often change or are rearranged in both business and personal arenas to accommodate holiday activities at this time of year. Make sure all calendars are in sync to avoid confusion and conflicts.
  • Schedule time for important holiday activities - Fit those activities that you deem most important into your schedule early before other commitments steal your time.
  • Budget - If you know that money is an issue over the holidays because business is slow, make yourself a budget and stick carefully to it. Rather than quashing your celebrations, it will provide peace-of-mind that you’re not overspending. Perhaps you could save up a holiday fund throughout the year so you won’t feel the need to scrimp on celebrating the holidays. Realistic expectations - The fact is, things are different around the holidays; it’s not business as usual - or family as usual. Adopt a relaxed attitude. Make enjoyment your goal rather than some unattainable, perfectionistic ideal.

• Allow the change of focus and pace to inform you - Rather than becoming stressed by the collision of life and business, use the break from “same old same old” as an opportunity to evaluate how you balance life and business the other eleven months of the year. Perhaps the concentrated chaos of the holiday hubbub will alert you to areas where you could improve how you live out your personal and professional life.

Holiday stress is nothing surprising and certainly nothing new. It’s to be expected when we try to fit higher expectations and more activity into our already busy lives. Your business and your life can indeed celebrate the holidays in harmony. It simply takes some careful consideration and planning to align your priorities, expectations and actions.

How do you run your business while celebrating the holidays?

By Gina Blitstein

As a woman-owned company, you know that the government is a fertile source of business, consistently providing contracting opportunities to procure the goods and services they need to run the country - especially with minority-owned businesses like your own.

Your business, like countless others, however, is no doubt experiencing the rough seas of our stormy economy. While it’s diffucult doing business in this economic climate, it’s reassuring to know that the government is taking your financial woes seriously. The fact is, those same small, minority-owned companies with which the government often does business represent a significant part of its plan to turn these economic trends around.

How does the economy - and the government’s efforts to re-energize it - affect your small, minority-owned business? According to her remarks at the 29th Annual Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference, held September 27-30, 2011, Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank, they can increase your business while, in turn, stimulating the economy as a whole.

In her remarks to conference attendees, Ms Blank reported that, “According to our latest survey (Census Survey of Business Owners, 2002), in terms of both numbers and gross receipts, minority-owned firms have grown faster than other firms.” That fact places your business in a very important demographic - one who wields great power in an effective economic stimulus plan.

The theory is that, by increasing your working capital (by providing incentives and tax breaks), you’ll have more money to pay employees. Those employees then spend the money they earn at other businesses, pumping money into the faltering economy. Like concentric circles of waves emanating from a pebble tossed into a pond, these incentives will help spread the wealth outward throughout the entire economy.

Secretary Blank goes on to say, “That’s why earlier this month President Obama released his American Jobs Act. This plan, which we hope Congress passes without delay, would provide a significant new tax cut for small businesses – and that describes the vast majority of minority enterprises. It will cut the payroll tax in half on the first $5 million of wages paid by a company. And it provides a 100 percent payroll tax holiday on any new hiring or increased wages paid to existing employees. Additionally, the Jobs Act extends the 100 percent expensing for capital expenditures into 2012, continuing an historic incentive for new capital investments.”

“We know government can’t solve all the problems facing our country,” explains Secretary Blank. What we can do is help lay a foundation for growth and create smart incentives for minority entrepreneurs and all American businesses to build something special on top of that foundation.”

Detailing the government’s commitment to business and job growth and its efforts to stimulate the economy, Secretary Blank outlined the following programs this administration has created:

• The Startup America Initiative, which connects established private sector mentors to innovative entrepreneurs;

• The Small Business Jobs Act, which is providing billions of dollars in lending support and tax cuts for small businesses;

• The $33 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge to drive job growth through public-private partnerships in regions around the country, and we’re pleased to note that three MBDA centers were among the winners.

• The National Export Initiative, which Commerce leads, is aimed at connecting small and medium sized enterprises with the 95 percent of the world’s consumer who live outside our border and doubling U.S. exports by 2015; and,

• New aggressive steps by federal agencies, which are the nation’s largest purchaser of goods and services, to improve contracting with small businesses, including minority-owned firms.

Ms Blank summed up her remarks by stating, “Our goal is to improve the overall competitiveness of American business at home and abroad. I’m confident the initiatives I mentioned are going to pay off for American businesses and their workers. At MBDA, the Commerce Department and throughout the administration, we are doing everything we can to help minority businesses and all American businesses reach their full potential. That's how we put more people to work. That’s how we help business grow. That’s how we ensure that American workers, American companies and American communities compete and win in the global economy.”

As you can see, your small, minority-owned business does fit - in a very significant way - into the big picture of our economic recovery as a nation. The government is supporting your efforts to keep more businesses viable with these plans and programs. Your business may be small but its importance of - and potential impact upon - the economy is huge.

How has your small, minority-owned business benefited from economic stimulus plans and programs?

By Gina Blitstein

As a business owner, your smartphone is neither a time-draining gadget nor a distraction - it’s your lifeline. Often serving as your mobile connection to your office and to your business as a whole, it’s an indispensable piece of equipment. What other device can run the gamut from basic communication device to navigation system to information clearinghouse?

When you rely on your phone to provide so much functionality, it’s important to have one with current technology so you can reap the full benefits of this wonder of convenience, efficiency and mobile communication. That said, you don’t want to replace your phone every time the wind changes. How do you determine what you need to remain optimally productive on your cell phone?

When it’s time to choose the right phone for your needs, the features that are available can be overwhelming. Android phones offer a wide variety of options among the various models, which include:

1. Screen size - Determining the size of your screen, in essence, is choosing the size of your phone. A larger screen obviously means a larger phone. What’s more important to you - that you can stash your phone in your pocket or that you can read documents, see web pages and view images clearly? It’s a matter of deciding whether portability or viewing size is your priority.
2. Screen Quality - Base your decision about screen quality on what you plan to do on your phone. The higher the quality of the screen, the better videos and video chats will appear. If you watch your screen to a large extent, a high quality screen may be a priority for your phone.
3. Keyboard - Keyboards can be either tactile or onscreen. Tactile keyboards have actual buttons you can press. Onscreen keyboards have flat keys. There’s no advantage to either - choosing between the two is a matter of personal preference. If you choose a phone with a slide-out keyboard, it will be tactile, and it will also have an onscreen keyboard that can be used without sliding out the keyboard.
4. Battery life - The more your phone is required to do, the more battery power it will consume. When the screen is lit up, you’re taking or watching video, downloading or you have applications running that check for updates, your phone battery is being drained quickly. Take battery life into serious consideration the more you perform these types of actions or rely upon your phone when you’re away from a power source.
5. Camera - There are some very nice cameras built in to cell phones these days. The ability to take a photo on the fly at a meeting, job site or destination is convenient and easily shared with colleagues or your social network on Facebook or Twitter. If you don’t care to carry a separate digital camera, you may want to consider a phone with a higher quality built-in camera. Some cameras even have both a traditional (outward) facing camera as well as a front-facing camera. A front-facing camera is a handy feature if you should want to take photos of yourself or a group when a photographer isn’t available to take the shot for you.
6. Video recorder - In the same way that it’s convenient to take photos from your phone, you can record video from many phones. In fact, you can create extremely high quality video - rivaling the quality of a stand-alone video recorder - from some of the better video recorders available on cell phones. These videos can be used for product demonstrations, training purposes, documentation, advertising... They can easily be uploaded to your YouTube channel, blog, website or Facebook page for distribution. Consider a phone with a quality video recorder if this sounds like something you need for your business.

A phone is far from just a phone these days. Your phone should provide the appropriate level of functionality for the way you conduct business. These are the main options among the various Android phones - consider your personal preferences and business requirements when choosing the right phone for your professional needs.

What functionality is important for your cell phone?

By Gina Blitstein

Believe it or not, the year is drawing to a close. It’s quickly coming up on the holidays and once those are over, we’ll find ourselves at the beginning of another new year. That new year represents a fresh beginning for many of us - a renewed opportunity to improve ourselves, adopt better habits, learn additional skills and accomplish new goals. Some of those goals may be of a professional nature.

If you’re working with a mentor, you’re most likely are working toward some specific professional goals. It isn’t too early, however, to begin thinking ahead about some long-range goals: What do you want to accomplish professionally in 2012 - and beyond? In what direction do you want to move? What skills do you want to hone? What obstacles do you want to overcome on your way to professional and personal development?

Like people do at the beginning of a new year, consider those long-term goals you’d like to bring to fruition. Then express those issues to your mentor so that together you can incorporate your goals into your overall mentoring program and feel that you’re developing the abilities that are most important and relevant to you.

Of course, your goals are as unique as you. Only you know where you need to direct your attention and effort. The following areas, however, may be pertinent for you to consider as you think about where you are, where you want to be and how you and your mentor can work toward getting you there:

• Communication skills - Communication is equal parts talking and listening. Can you clearly state what you need to say in complete yet concise terms? Alternatively, do you hear what is actually communicated, rather than make assumptions without regard to the real message? Effective communication skills help propel any career at any level.

• Cultivating business relationships - Even if you’re self-employed, you don’t work in a vacuum. Developing and maintaining interpersonal skills is crucial to success in business. You need to be well-versed in networking to conflict resolution - and everything in between.

• Personal development - Could your personality or psychological hurdles be holding you back? Perhaps there’s room for improvement in the areas of assertion, self-confidence or leadership. The more “together” you are personally, the more easily you can meet the challenges of any career.

• Work style - Are you a natural-born collaborator or an entrepreneur at heart? Rather than “fight City Hall,” work with your mentor to find a career path and position that fit how you work best.

• Time/resource management - It's all about getting the most from what you have to work with. On any career path, it’s crucial that you utilize your time and other resources at your disposal to your best advantage. Whether you need to work with an assistant, implement organizational tools or maintain detailed schedules and to-do lists, your mentor can help you harness the power of your basic resources.

• Professional satisfaction - What makes you feel successful? Money? Status? Happiness? Challenges? Power? Flexibility? Explore the subject with your mentor to ensure that you’re on a career path that will bring you the greatest satisfaction - as you define it - from your professional life.

• Professional/personal balance - This is important to everyone to differing degrees. If it’s particularly important for you to either draw a distinct line between your personal and professional lives - or to blend the two to your satisfaction - discuss the topic with your mentor to discover the balance you seek.

• Professional advancement/career path - Where are you headed professionally? Is the time you spend working leading you toward a goal - or at least in a certain direction? How do you feel about your pace toward that goal or the direction in general? Your mentor can help you decide how to get where you’re going more quickly or help you navigate your desired path.

• Educational needs - Everyone could stand a professional refresher course now and again. Is that all you need to stay in-the-know - or do you need to gain some serious schooling to keep abreast of new information in your field? Discuss with your mentor where you can receive the appropriate “continuing education” to keep yourself at the cutting edge of competency. This will ensure that you remain a valuable employee at your current company or extremely employable at another.

Remember that mentoring is an ongoing relationship that can guide you both now and well into the future. Devote some time to introspective thought as the new year approaches to determine those areas where you could use some mentoring and guidance. Executing a long-range plan with your mentor assures that you’ll constantly be headed in a direction that’s professionally beneficial to you.

What professional goals will you pursue with your mentor in 2012?

By Gina Blitstein

One of the biggest expenses involved in running a small business is acquiring a suitable place in which to actually conduct business. If you’re among the many businesses that lease commercial space from which to operate, there’s some good news for your bottom line. Whether you’re looking for more affordable space, a more desirable location or bigger digs from which to operate, this is a good time to do so, financially speaking. Due to the still-struggling economy, commercial property is currently a bargain for business tenants.

That fact gives you a certain advantage when negotiating with the landlord. According to the Small Business Administration, consider these additional factors in order to negotiate the best commercial lease:

• Terms - It’s recommended that you commit to no more than two years at a time. Don’t be tempted to agree to longer terms than that, even if the landlord offers enticing incentives. Make certain you have an option to renew, however, should you desire to at the end of your lease. Also be sure that you are fully aware of and consent to any rent increases that will occur during the term of your lease.


• Additional Expenses - When determining the total costs involved with leasing commercial space, remember to account for the extra charges, like for maintenance and utilities. It’s common practice for landlords to charge maintenance fees on top of the rent payment, to be used for upkeep of common areas. Be aware that as far as repair and maintenance of heating and plumbing systems, for example, it’s not necessarily the property owner’s financial responsibility - it may fall on you, the tenant. Make sure you are aware of exactly what is the landlord’s responsibility and for what (and how much) you may be responsible.

  As far as utilities, they are usually the responsibility of the commercial tenant but do confirm with management as to how they are calculated. Are your utility charges based upon your actual use or upon the square footage you lease? Being aware of the expected and potential additional expenses involved in leasing will help you calculate the actual cost of the space and avoid unexpected operating costs.

• Beneficial Clauses - In the event that circumstances change during the course of your lease, consider negotiating some clauses that will help your business maintain an even keel. Clauses addressing these issues may save you from experiencing significant losses:
  • Sublease - Ensure that you are able to sublease your space to another business should you for some reason become unable to remain at that location or pay your rent.
  • Exclusivity clause - This will ensure that during the term of your lease, the landlord doesn’t rent to another business who is in direct competition to yours.
  • Co-tenancy - This provides assurance that you will have the option of breaking your lease in the event that a major (anchor) tenant vacates the property and is not readily replaced with another, jeopardizing your ability to draw in customers.


• Worst Case Scenario - Another important issue to discover is the actions that the landlord will take if you are late with or miss a rent payment. Will you be immediately locked out, face eviction or penalties? You should go into the lease fully informed about these consequences.

Finally, read the lease thoroughly so you can negotiate with the landlord on any issues that are unsatisfactory. Doing so will also help you avoid being surprised by anything contained in the lease of which you were unaware.

These considerations will help you to negotiate a lease that will serve your operational and financial requirements to your greatest benefit. Regardless of how prepared you are to negotiate a new commercial lease, however, consultations with a real estate lawyer and broker may be advised to help navigate your local real estate market.

Consider the struggling economy as a financial blessing for your business. Negotiating a more affordable rate for your commercial lease can help you reallocate funds now to prepare your business for the inevitable more profitable marketplace to come.

What are your best tips for negotiating a commercial lease?

By Gina Blitstein

It’s no secret that life is complicated. At any given point, you’re undoubtedly juggling your personal life, your family and your professional life. Let’s face it, there’s never going to be enough hours in the day to do all you need to do and remember all you need to remember. It's easy to suffer from information overload. 

The only solution to getting it all done and keeping it all straight is through organization. Not just a to-do list scribbled on the back of an envelope and a last-minute trip to the mall to find that video game you ‘hope’ you’ll remember for your nephew’s birthday, though. Real organization that, like Mom always said, has a “place for everything.” Organization that you customize, can access and update from anywhere and which connects you instantly to all the information you need to run all the aspects of your life. That type of organization would really help, wouldn’t it?

One solution to the challenges of organization is a free online service called, Springpad. Springpad lets you make virtual ‘notebooks’ for each aspect of your life, then collect information about each in those notebooks, keeping everything in one centralized program. Access Springpad from your computer or mobile device to have your information at the tip of your fingers wherever you are.

You customize Springpad by creating a notebook for particular topics which you populate with whatever information you choose to save on them. That information is stored in that notebook along with the related information you add. This reduces the time you would normally spend searching - or searching again - for information because everything pertaining to a particular topic is stored in a central location. Add text, links, videos, photos or files to any note within a notebook. There are templates available for saving common information types, such as checklists, recipes, businesses, contacts, packing lists and tasks.

Organizing for Business

Springpad helps you get and stay organized by making it extremely easy to save and retrieve information. Once you start a notebook for, say, your business trip to Tacoma, you can add your flight, hotel and rental car confirmations right to the notebook so you’ll have them all in one centralized place without searching through your inbox. Including the link to your hotel will make it easy to determine if they have a gym, restaurant or conference facility you may need. When your notebook content includes address information, Springpad automatically makes a Google Map available of the location(s) within that notebook. If you’re a frequent traveler (or just worry you’ll forget something) create a list of things to remember to pack and add it to this - and any other trip’s - notebook. You can do some research before your trip and add links to restaurants and local attractions to enjoy when you’re there. If a friend has great Tacoma guidebook you’d like to pick up, save a link to it in your notebook so you can buy it online or at your favorite bookstore. As your itinerary fills out, you can add dates and times of meetings and other commitments, with alarm reminders to help make sure you’re on time. Emails, reports and files necessary for your business trip can be stored in your notebook too. As you can see, your notebook becomes your one-stop Tacoma Central.

Organizing for Life

What about that family reunion that - somehow - you have the pleasure of arranging for next Summer? Springpad can help you organize that event as well. From nearby hotels, restaurants, and parks to rental car places and local shopping malls, you can have convenient access to information about the places that may be important to the reunion attendees. Save the files containing the invitation, caterer’s proposal and facility confirmation for your records. Create a checklist of the things you need to do before the reunion or a shopping list of the favors, decorations and supplies you want to purchase. Save the photos you’ve collected from family members, genealogical information, favorite family recipes, home videos and the oral histories you’ve collected for the big event. Search for links to music and movies to set the mood for a nostalgic "remember when” segment. Your family reunion notebook will hold every detail, allowing you to find what you need when you need it to simplify the entire process. The sky’s the limit as to what you can capture - and then easily retrieve - on any topic. 

Of course, life isn’t all trips and special events. It’s meetings and soccer games; presentations and doctor’s appointments. It’s remembering the name of that band you heard on the radio so you can buy the CD. It’s remembering what kind of ink your printer takes. Big or small, whatever the topic, Springpad gives you a place to put what you know, what you need - and need to remember - and keeps it for future reference and retrieval. Give your busy mind a break by letting technology hold all that information! That should make organizing your work and the rest of your life easier.

How do you organize all the information in your work and life?

Mentoring, it is a well-established fact, can help you go farther in your career, discover and exercise your true passions and talents and increase your career and life satisfaction. It’s true - even the most highly motivated, intelligent people benefit from having an experienced sounding-board from whom they can learn and be inspired.

More and more companies are heeding their employees’ need for mentors by providing an in-house mentorship program. For employees who do not have access to mentors through their place of business and the self-employed, mentorship is likewise a logical and effective means to gain new perspective and the benefit of experience. Where can you find the mentorship you need when it’s not provided on the job?

Let’s ask some professionals for advice on how to identify and secure our own mentors. Rochelle Friedman Walk, CEO of Corporate Governance Solutions, PLLC, shares her personal story of finding appropriate mentorship for her career when none existed.

Rochelle says, “ I am a woman who owns my own business but started my career at a law firm and then in corporate America. I skyrocketed through a number of companies and by the time I was in my mid-thirties I was an executive officer of a public company. Here is the catch - I never once had a female mentor. Men understand that it is important to bring younger men (and women) along, but women, at the time I was a rising star, did not.”

This experience inspired Rochelle to action. She continues, “As a result, I chose to mentor young women. I have run legal departments, public relations, investor relations, real estate, licensed brands for a Fortune 200, ... each time, I reached out and looked for young women with promise. I was recognized for mentoring by the YWCA (nominated by Sherwin Williams) and found, that with recognition, more women like myself appeared in my life. I found many friends who are wonderful mentors to the next generations.”

Rochelle offers these suggestions for discovering your own mentors:

• Join not-for-profits and get involved. Volunteer to take on big jobs, not just party planning.

• Call women who are partners at law firms, accounting firms, financial planning firms and executives at banks and real estate companies. Ask them to go to lunch or have a cup of coffee because you are interested in learning how to navigate corporate America and you respect their achievements.

• Tell a male leader you want a mentor, preferably a woman, and see who he knows. I have mentored many women because a male friend asked me to reach out.

• If you are looking for a mentor, male or female, have an idea of what it is you hope to accomplish. You do not need to know what you hope to learn, but you need to know why you want a mentor.

Erin Albert, MBA, PharmD, JD Candidate and Founder/Member of Yuspie, LLC - Young, Urban Single Professionals of Indiana weighs in on the subject, explaining how she has identified her own personal, “board of directors.” Erin has discovered her mentors through:

• Organizations relevant to entrepreneurship (like NAWBO or SBA offices) - I'll introduce myself to th instructors and get to know them better after the class.

• LinkedIn and social networks - Simply type in your city and whatever terms you're seeking in a mentor and back comes a list - then reach out! Ask for a meeting or cup of coffee or lunch and meet with them.

• Write a book - honestly - this has been the best way for me to find and form relationships with professionals all over the world in their area(s) of expertise. Interview them!

Another business superstar, Susan Bender Phelps, is CEO of Odyssey Mentoring & Leadership, which provides training in the people skills that make effective mentoring partners and leaders. Susan, who has a masters in Management and Organizational Leadership, suggests you choose mentors from those whom you admire, who can be found within your:

• business or organization
• professional association
• local chamber of commerce
• national conference (and strike up a relationship with professionals in your industry who are not competitors, if that’s an issue on a local level)
• local Small Business Administration SCORE program (there may be a retired volunteer with the right skill set waiting to work with someone like you)

These successful and savvy professionals have found their own mentors by reaching out from within the context of their professional networks. Your mentors are most likely working among you right now. Find them and utilize their expertise to optimize your own career!

Where can you find professional mentors?

By Gina Blitstein

As we Americans have recently discovered, finances are a sticky subject, even for a powerful nation. It’s never graceful to confront as volatile a subject as money, whether you’re a country or a small business. Discussing and debating money brings out neither the best nor the most charitable in anyone. While it’s easy to advise a country or a business to:

• Be responsible with your money
• Have an overall financial plan
• Save
• Pay your debts before they become overwhelming
• Realize that money represents power - personal, business-wise, politically, nationally and internationally

there’s much more to be learned than those obvious fiscally responsible lessons from this dire situation. Now that we’re on the other side of the debt crisis (at least for the time being) perhaps we as small businesses can learn from the challenges that faced our country. Can we glean any day-to-day wisdom from America’s financial woes?

Bill Corbett, Jr., of Corbett Public Relations, Inc., has over 20 years experience in PR marketing and political consulting which has familiarized him with some in the Administration who were working on this seemingly unsolvable financial conundrum. Bill has identified several components of the bigger issue that arose during the debt crisis and shares some lessons we can learn to help us weather our own operational storms and come out a winner, financially and with our good reputation in tact:

Negotiation - First, Bill recognizes that the U.S. Government works based upon - and sometimes in spite of - a complex system of negotiation and compromise.

Lesson to learn - Especially when multiple parties are involved, a small business must passionately champion their own cause in any negotiation, presenting the most convincing arguments possible. Even if you don’t get 100% what you want today, Bill assures us that movement in the right direction often represents a victory, which is, after all, what compromise is all about.

Communication - Bill says that this crisis presented an opportunity for politicians to come out from behind their talking points and really communicate with fellow politicians and their constituents. Those who were the most effective communicators saw their reputations enhanced.

Lesson to learn - Entrepreneurs should recognize the importance of strong communication skills with their coworkers as well as customers. It increases their reputation as a trusted, capable businessperson.

Positivity - Bill mentions how things got rather nasty between the political parties, resorting to name-calling and unfair accusations. In addition, many unnecessary “scare tactics” were employed to give credence to one side or another.

Lesson to learn - Instead of focusing on the negatives of your opponent, Bill suggests sending a clear and positive message about your own business. Rather than forecasting doom and sensationalizing a crisis to strengthen your contention, give an unbiased assessment of the gravity of the situation. Taking the high road is more productive and keeps you from rolling around in the mud instead of solving the problem at hand.

Relationships - Bill says that Vice President Biden played a key role in the debt deal by bringing his personal relationships to the table to help keep lines of communication open. Although he may not have been involved in the specific negotiations, it was clear that he was able to facilitate conversations and meetings that lead to compromises.

Lesson to learn - In business, relationships matter because people work best with those they trust and like. Those in business should always be building and enhancing relationships so that, should such negotiations become necessary, there is an existing relationship on which to work.

Damage control - Negative publicity may not even be completely true, Bill says, but it proved damaging as the parties attempted to negotiate and reach a compromise.

Lesson to learn - Businesses should have a damage control plan in place before it is needed to help keep the company’s message consistent, positive and not reactionary. A thoughtfully prepared plan puts you at an advantage at the negotiation table, should the unexpected come up.

Proactive measures - Finally, Bill contends that this crisis did not have to happen; that negotiations and proactive steps should have been taken to fend off this problem months ago.

Lesson to learn - Businesses need to take action now to resolve issues that may impact their operations. Procrastination can kill a business and or damage its reputation.

Talking about and debating financial issues is never easy. Money is not only a powerful resource but a heavily-loaded subject. Keeping your wits about you, staying focused and sticking to your plan when discussing financial issues is the way to negotiate and compromise while maintaining your integrity. While financial negotiations are a fact of life for nations and businesses alike, ultimately, you’ve won any negotiation that you come out of with your integrity in tact.

What methods have you employed when negotiating over finances?

By Gina Blitstein

Operating a small business these days is a challenge, to say the least. It seems the big fish are more and more frequently swallowing up the little guys, providing goods and services to their market cheaper and more efficiently. How are small businesses to survive in such an unfriendly economic climate?

The government is aware, thankfully, that an economy isn’t only comprised of giant retailers. It doesn’t want to see small business, which is the backbone of our economy, go under, so it is offering incentives of its own to encourage small business to pursue government contracting opportunities. As far as a client, small businesses couldn’t do better than the government, which is the largest purchaser of goods and services around, spending $425 billion per year, with 23% of that substantial budget earmarked for contracts with small business.

Win

As a way to stimulate our economy, the government has taken action on behalf of small business. To quote the SBA website verbatim, “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.”

The SBA website provides a myriad of resources for those interested in taking advantage of these opportunities to contract with the government. Those resources include an online course, entitled, Recovery Act Opportunities: How to Win Federal Contracts, a slew of e-newsletters on a wide variety of topics representing every region of the U.S., and SBA Direct Resource Packets.

According to their website, the SBA Direct Resource Packets provide small businesses direct access to capital and banks that are making loans. Additionally, they provide resources, including counseling, that can help them meet the challenges of owning and operating a small business. In order to more quickly connect small businesses with these resources, SBA has prepared SBA Direct Resource Packets for every region of the country with up-to-date contact information for SBA field offices, lenders making SBA loans, and counseling services, including:

• District Staff
• Local Score Chapter Offices
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
• Women’s Business Centers (WBCs)
• Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs)
• U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEACs)
• Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs)
• Surety Bond Guarantee Program
• Federal Procurement Opportunities:
• Procurement & Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs)
• PRIME Award Grantees
• State Lenders
• Microloan Program Intermediary Lenders
• Certified Development Companies (CDCs)

..and Win

Not only is the government doing good for small business - small business is proving good for the government. According to Lourdes Martin-Rosa, American Express OPEN Advisor on Government Contracting, government agencies are realizing huge savings from contracting with small businesses. For instance, Lourdes reports, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) achieved a savings of $43 million from the previous year’s budget through its set-aside small business program. Similarly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) saved $5.2 million – a 65% reduction of what it would have cost to acquire these services on a cost-reimbursement basis – when it awarded its Superfund Cleanup contract to a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

Lourdes explains that because of the Obama Administration’s Small Business Task Force, more and more agencies are beginning to realize the potential savings from procuring with small businesses. In 2010, the federal government awarded $98 billion in contracts to small businesses.

Lourdes discusses the steps small businesses need to take to get a leg up on government contracting opportunities. She offers the following shortcuts to start:

• Get your business certified. Visit www.sba.gov to determine if your business qualifies for various Small Business Certifications and set aside contracting programs, including Small Business, the 8(a), Women-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and HUBZone Small Business.

• Get your business noticed. Register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) national database and add your business to the Dynamic Small Business Search.

• Know the agency you are targeting. Before responding to any government solicitation, check out the history of the agency’s product/service awards at www.fpds.gov.

• Consider teaming to gain experience. Teaming up with an experienced contractor is an effective way to gain past performance. Visit www.teamingusa.com to find potential partners.

Being a small firm is not a handicap - especially when the government recognizes your value to the overall economy and takes steps to ensure business opportunities for you. When you can procure profitable contracts for your business while stimulating the economy, that’s a win-win!

What does your small business have to offer the government? What does the government have to offer your small business?

By Gina Blitstein

We all know that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Poor Jack is dull intellectually, creatively and emotionally because he’s singularly focused on only Jack the “worker.” When we’re constantly in work mode, our noses to the grindstone, we may forget that there are other aspects to our personalities and other mental and emotional muscles to exercise. It helps no one to be so focused in one direction that we lose sight of the forest of possibilities amidst the trees of a relentless pace.

Consider the word, “recreation.” It’s made up of “re” and “create” - meaning create again. As owners of minds that are intellectual, creative and emotional, that’s precisely what we need to do on a regular basis - re-create ourselves. It’s not only enjoyable to allow our minds to wander to places other than the work-related tasks at hand - it’s imperative that we do so to keep ourselves fresh and energized. Indulging in creative pursuits is a sure way to keep our batteries charged and our skills honed.

What is creativity? The answer is as unique as each individual. Creativity is whatever inspires you to learn and stretch and grow. Creativity makes you feel more connected to yourself and your life. Creativity enhances your experiences by allowing you to see them through different eyes.

One thing for sure is that creativity is a key that unlocks the mind’s full capacity. Because creative pursuits put our busy minds ‘at ease,’ they can help us learn and focus better as well as cope with stress more effectively. Creative endeavors relax and rejuvenate us so that everything we do comes easier.

Let’s explore two scenarios in which creativity provides the necessary element to help the human mind perform at its best:

1. A Teacher’s Creativity Inspires a Reluctant Student

Vicki Nieto is a 3rd grade teacher who recognizes the inspirational power of creative pursuits. Vicki herself finds personal inspiration in music. “I love music. I clean to music. I relax to music,” she declares - and she passes that personal knowledge along to her students. When she encountered a particularly reluctant math student last year, Vicki called upon her own knowledge of the inspirational effects of music to encourage this student.

Vicki explains, “I mean, she HATED math!“ I would play the song, Celebration, while transitioning into math. Students would pass out materials and get items ready; some would sing, some would even dance if ready early. My reluctant mathie loved music, and she would begin instruction with a smile and a positive attitude and it made our time together much less stressful!”

The creativity which was released by the music helped the reluctant student to refocus. Once she was in this more receptive state of mind, she could more easily concentrate on the math lesson. By switching the student’s focus from stressful work to enjoyable music, Vicki was able to help the student open her mind to learning.

2. Exploring Creative Outlets Helps Survivors Cope

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, two friends from New Orleans, Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney, established a creativity-boosting business called, Painting with a Twist, with the intention to both reinvent their own lives and fill what they saw as, “a void for lighthearted entertainment where people could go to forget about life’s troubles and just have fun.”

The concept behind Painting with a Twist is to provide a place for folks to express their creativity through painting. Local art instructors and supplies are available to nurture participants’ creativity. They’re encouraged to bring snacks and a bottle of wine to make the experience a well-deserved respite from their everyday stresses - whatever they may be. “We’re in the business of providing people with an environment where they are guaranteed to crack a smile,” said Cathy Deano, co-founder of Painting with a Twist. “Especially after Katrina hit, we knew we had to do something to lift people’s spirits. It turns out that our concept provided an ideal solution.”

Cathy and Renee’s first location opened its doors in November, 2007 and in less than two years, they were up to four. In 2009 they franchised the concept and since then have grown to over 50 locations. Obviously, this business does fill a need for stress-reduction through creative expression.

When we focus too much attention on particular tasks or thoughts in the same old ways, our minds will not be open to the myriad of ways we can solve a problem, approach a situation or consider a question. Creativity, whether expressed as a hobby, interest or passion, frees our minds and expands its ability to function at its best.

There’s no need to be dull, reluctant or stressed because creativity is the cure - if only we take the opportunity to utilize it. Recreate yourself on a regular basis to energize your efforts in everything you do.

What creative endeavors keep you fresh and focused?

By Gina Blitstein

While the process of winning federal contracts is never a walk in the park, the path to government procurement may be more complicated in FY2011 than ever. The late approval of the federal budget has potential contractors champing at the bit to take their bite out of the $500 billion annual federal contracting pie. How can you help ensure that you have a fighting chance to obtain government contracting business for your company?

Fortunately, there’s a guiding presence with knowledge and experience to lead the way toward making the connections that lead to winning those contracts! That guide through the complicated waters of government procurement is Judy Bradt, CEO of Summit Insight LLC, author of the book, Government Contracts Made Easier, and its newly published companion – a 64-page Strategy Workbook to the original guide. Judy boasts over 23 years working with her clients on business strategies to win government contracts.

In addition to her informative books, Judy recently offered these five valuable tips for successful government contracting on her blog, Government Contracts Made Easier - with Judy Bradt. Judy advises the following:

Revisit Your Forecasting

• Take one more look at your target agencies' forecasts and bid boards. Anything new?
• Look hard at your own forecast, and pick out the projects that best match your capabilities.
• Identify relevant small business specialists -- and call on them for updates on your hot projects.

Ask for Referrals from Your Best Customers

• Ask your best customers for introductions! It's the least expensive -- and most powerful -- source of leads you have.
• Ask for leads within their agency.
• Ask who they know in another agency who might value your expertise or products.

Stay Top-of-Mind

• When did you last check in with your best clients, partners, current and past contacts?
• Call long-time, one-time and former government clients to remind them of your value. Offer something useful -- an article, a link...
• Ask if they'd like fresh information, or need to reorder from you.
• Call on marginal accounts. Often the company to get the order is the last one the agency spoke with!
• If the box of cookies or treats is worth less than $25, ask the contracting officer or the OSDBU if you can bring in some refreshments for the team.(True story: At fiscal year end, when I worked at the Canadian Embassy, I'd bring a batch of cookies into the Administration section. You have no IDEA how much faster my paperwork got processed.)

Use Multiple Touches, Tactics, Channels

• Use multiple tactics (PR, events, email, direct mail, web, telemarketing).
• What channels are others not using? Have you looked into...
• Federal News Radio? See what co-anchors Amy Morris and Tom Temin are covering, and ask them if they'd like to interview your federal client's recent success (and your contribution...) Catch Amy on Twitter -- @amorris_wfed
• Twitter -- check out http://www.blog.govtwit.com/ and discover how you can reach hundreds of influential government buyers that your competitors are overlooking!
• Visit GSA Sales Query, even if you don't have a schedule. How are the leaders in your GSA Schedule category, reaching THEIR clients, through ads and online?
• Promote year-end offers to government customers through telemarketing or emails.

Update & Share Your Capability Statement

• Add in your latest contract wins and vehicles, update your contact information, product information, certifications, keywords and NAICS codes.
• Most contracting officers and small business specialists appreciate getting your latest capability statement. Ask your best contacts if they prefer email or hardcopy or a link.
• Ask if they've got a few minutes to critique your latest draft capability statement -- What's missing? What else would they like to see? Helpful to you, AND keeps you top of mind.

Courting the government is similar to - if not exactly like - courting any other business prospect. You need to: keep informed of industry trends, distinguish yourself from the competition, be proactive, provide value, get to know the right people, stay on the radar and show imitative. Judy’s tips will help you to easily stand out from the crowd and gain an advantage in winning those lucrative government contracts, this year and every year.

What new strategy will you implement this year to win government contracts?

By Gina Blitstein

Technology continues to bring us novel ways to connect to information. Rather new on the horizon (especially to the Western world) is the QR code - a bit of technology that can help customers learn more about your business. While QR codes are new, they are definitely something you should be aware of when considering alternative marketing for your business.

A QR code (short for Quick Response Code) is a barcode, like the ubiquitous UPC symbols we see on every product for purchase. Like a UPC, a QR code is a black image on a white background. Rather than vertical stripes, a QR code is square in shape, made up of a configuration of smaller squares, called modules. And like the UPC, each QR code is unique, containing data that can be read by specialized technology. While an UPC merely relays identifying information about a product which is then matched to its price at point of purchase, a QR code can contain a vast array of information.

You have almost undoubtedly encountered QR codes, whether you knew what you were looking at or not. They appear on an increasing number of products every day (cereal boxes, tags on fresh fruit, even artwork!), signs at physical locations (restaurants and stores) in magazines and newspapers, on advertising materials, business cards, bills, coupons, television, webpages - quite literally anywhere and everywhere. Anywhere and everywhere, that is, that a dedicated QR code reader or smartphone with a QR reader application installed can work.

QR codes must be read by a specialized handheld device which more and more people have at their fingertips, usually right on their cell phone. What is this information contained in QR codes? Think of a QR code as a shortcut to...any digital information that exists. When the reader processes the QR code, it directs the browser within the device to go to a specified destination on the Internet. When scanned by a QR reader, a code can resolve to anything from an information page about a business, contact information, directions, recipes, coupons, a Facebook or Twitter page, a website, a blog, a calendar of events, a video...the sky’s the limit! If it’s on the Internet, a QR code can be generated to direct people to it.

How can QR codes help market your business? Your organization can utilize this opportunity to conveniently disseminate information, offers and special features. QR codes represent yet another way for technology to help foster the relationship between you and your customers and potential customers.

Now that you know what QR codes are and what they do, let’s discuss the benefits of using them in your marketing efforts.

• QR codes are free to generate. Search the Internet for “QP code generators” and you’ll discover many options. Simply add the link to the information to which you want the QR code to point and voila! you have a unique QR code that, when scanned, will take customers to your specified content.

• QR codes can provide an enormous amount of information in a small amount of space. Instead of purchasing expensive advertising “real estate” you could describe your items or products for sale via a QR code pointing to a link to your website or a video demonstration. Think of all you could provide in the space of an inch of paid advertising placement! Not only is it more economical advertising, it’s more effective as well.

• QR codes provide convenience to the consumer. Rather than needing to copy or type in a URL to go to your website, or browse for a coupon or directions once there, your QR code can bring up exactly what you’re offering your customers with one scan, immediately, right where they are.

• QR codes set you apart from the competition. By providing the ability for you to offer so much to your customers, you’ll gain the reputation as a business dedicated to connecting with your clientele.

• QR codes show that your business is cutting edge. This is new technology and frankly hasn’t been widely adopted...yet. Being a forerunner using QR codes is an inexpensive way to show that your business is on top of the technology wave.

• QR codes are trackable. When your business is adopting a modern advertising strategy, QR codes provide the ability to track who your marketing is attracting and where as well as in what information customers are interested.

All these factors combine to make QR codes an effective and affordable adjunct to a marketing strategy in our tech-friendly society. The fact is, people rely on their technology to inform them and make their life more convenient - QR codes do those things for customers while helping you advertise your products and/or services. Consider advertising with QR codes to provide a wealth of information for minimal cost to you.

What will you provide your customers with a QR code?